The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-09-22
UNCRowNED HEROES.
A Magazine Article by Austin's
Brilliant Scholar.

Virginia to the best original production written
for the university Magazine" during the col
lege year 1SH-ee. II was written by Mr.. Dudley
G. WooteD, of Austin, ard IVES most hishly
complimeLted at the time, and since then has
been widely reproduced, rotsbly by the outhern
Quarterly Review, Of Baltimore. 1t is a rare
PRODUCTION, a' sleals f its on Il merits. We
are indebted to Mr.. Wooten Tor allowing lis "a
republish it..
Why is it that poetry, adventure and a
nameless romance cluster SO profusely
around everything Spanish? Why is it that
the footsteps Of CASTLES passionate and
sombre children, in all climes and through
all history, have led SO universally to
scenes of pleasant fancy and imaginative
brilliancy? Ia spite Of the dark and for.
bidding outlines of the Spaniard's career
of cruelty and lust for wealth and power,
the light of q tender and romantic senti-
ment plays with softening glow upon
all its stages and lends an iDdescribable
charm to even its darkest periods. The
simple rhetoric and subdued beauty of
Irvipg's matcbless prose, the digniisd
and lucid pages of Ticknor, and the alb
sorbipg vivacity and splendid imagery of
Prescott have each Wed in lending an ad-
ditional lustre to the chivalric and adven-
turOus history Of that -blooded / ace.
Strange is the peculiar fascination that
seems to haunt even the ruins of its glory
and power; strange the my site spell that
hovers around the relics of its devasting
conGuests. One feels it's potent and
pleasing influence amid the ancient quad
rangles of Valadolid and Salamanca, and
its sweetest, sof est charm fingers in the
moonlit halls and crumbllng fountains of
Alhambra. The sentiments of horror
and indignation excited by the history of
Spanish wrongs and cruelties in the won
derful crusades of the New World would
seem to reproach every tendency to weave
aught of tender fancy around the scenes
of vandalism and rapacity so conspicuous
in the progress of Spanish discovery on
this continent. The Wondering ruins of
a curious and instructive civilization, and
the walls of prosecuted and enslaved
race proclaim SPANS crime against hui
mainly in her insatiate greed and grasp
for gold upon these shores. But, despite
so terrible an accuser, her peculiar sway
Is unbroken. The shattered temples and
decaying memorials of Peru and Mexico
owe their interest more to the adventures
of PizarrO and Cortez than to the melan-
choly fate of the incas and Montezumas.
But not all of Spai's romance and
glory is conferred in the naughty charac-
tiers of her conquerOra aud discoverers;
not all of her chiyalry and poetic charm
is to be found in the castles and cayal-
cades of her proud, spirited nobility. The
waving banners and spirited pennons Of
the warrior as he pursues his splendid
march ''like the sun with all his travelling
glories around him." are perhaps sures
of the worlds applause and will live long
est in the worlds admiration. But the
quiet, self denial and humble labors o.
the meek and patiently heroic are no
without their reward even in this life, anc
assuredly their trials and struggles are in
vested with a fascination for reflective
minds, which, though wrapped in gloom
is GLORIOUS as night with stars"
Such were the early fathers of thu
church, those monks of old, whose qnain
characters have pointed many cruel glib
and lent force to many an untrue assault
upon their simple lives. Such were the
whose untiripg vigils and untold priva
tions helped to preserve from extinction
the learning and culture of antiquity; an
such were they who, following the con
aueror's path to the New World, RENAME
to heal the wounds and repair the ruin o
the conqueror's lust.
The memorials of their sacrifice an
labors are to be seen in the Wondering
missions of Mexico, California and Texa;
but the history of their noble heroism
the tribute they so justly deserve, ma
never been written and never can be
Row ungenerous; oh! how short-slghteo
are the praises of men! OF school DO
whose blood has not quickened to thu
music of Cortez' triumphsl entrances int
the palaces of the terror-stricken Aztec
not a maiden whose eyes have not bright
ened at the stories of Pizarro and hi
beautiful captives. Every detail of tn
daring exploits of those adventurou
spirits has been canonized in the calenda
of heroism and invested with the deceit
full charm of bravery and perilous con
quest. But who has thought of thos
other heroes-who has recounted the I'm
FASHIONED deeds, the exalted piety, the III
daunted fervor and the uIquestl0nln
sacrifices of the missionaries of the soutf
west? No thought can be more sue
gestive, no revery more pregnant with 10
sons of hopeful trust and patient selt.dlS
cipline than those inspired by such llv'
and such zeal. The church has had HI
martys and her fiery champions, religio
oE KnlUh
for the propagation of truth, the GROW
of pious renown is thick-studded with u
resplendent virtues of countless null
tude of stalwart defenders and ardent
roes, but the gentle spirits and humb
devotion of these toiler5 in the wilderne
of the New World have for my mind
grand and sacred glory that yields to
oft sung praises of none of Christendon
greatest and purest. They came witho
the common incentives that lead men
face the dangers and trials of an une
plored continent. They we're iured
no worldly ambition, they shared IN mo-
of the brilliant spois of conquest, MOI
of the glory of arms, but they left the
ductive haunts of civilization and soclet
the snots made dear by the day-dreams
bcvhood and the maturer aims or maj
hoods lofty schemes, to carry the GRO
and its messages into wilderness OF te
rors, peopled by Infatuated savages al al
promising nothing but obscurity, SUITE
inc and priyation and death at last 10
lowed b, no earthly regrets, mourned
no earthly sorrow. They came WIN u
conqueror, but different indeed was ea Il.
mission and their destiny. Long an
the glittering arms and banners OF opa